


Operation Avenge

by rexthranduil



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Incredible Hulk - All Media Types, Thor (Movies)
Genre: BAMF!Bruce, BAMF!Cap, BAMF!Clint, BAMF!Loki, BAMF!Natasha, BAMF!Thor, BAMF!Tony, Coulson!Whump, Hurt!Loki, I'm not adding BAMF!Coulson b/c Coulson is already a BAMF, M/M, The Son of Coul, Thor!whump, Tony!Whump, Whump, hurt!Thor, loki!whump
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-11-18
Updated: 2014-05-14
Packaged: 2018-01-01 22:11:48
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1049155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rexthranduil/pseuds/rexthranduil
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>[I'm crap at naming things okay] In a world where Priority One's are taken into custody and kept from the public, it is time for them to rise up and reclaim their freedom. But when a darkness comes to destroy the world, do they defend it, or help destroy those who imprisoned them? [Based on <a href="http://assvengrrs.tumblr.com/post/64126634900/avengers-au-s-h-i-e-l-d-detains-superheroes">this</a> damned tumblr post]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Just because they were powerful didn’t mean they were free. Just because they weren’t free didn’t mean they were weak. Loki reasoned that he, and a select few upon this useless rock known as Earth to the mortals and Midgard to Gods, knew and understood this well.  But as he was ‘escorted’ down the metallic, unfeeling corridor into what would become his cell, he wondered if he had expected too much of his associates.

It wasn’t like they had his prowess after all.

The sound of the lights overhead, the thud-thud-thud of military issue footwear, the steady hum of electricity, concentrated power, behind the metal sheets of the corridor walls all permeated him; he let it all flow through him. He had to be aware if his part was to be played correctly.

Never let it be said that Loki Odinson was a bad actor.

********

“So this is the latest Priority One case so far?” A deep male voice reverberated around the glass and metal confines of Loki. “You don’t look like much of a threat.” Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D commented as he stood before the cage that held one of the most powerful, and downright dangerous, Priority Ones that Fury had ever had the pleasure of chasing.

“Yet you do not enter my confines nor stand any closer than that unappealing yellow-line before your boots suggests.” Loki responded lightly, raising a single slender eyebrow as he appraised Fury. “I can assure you mortal; I am very much a threat.” He added darkly as he smirked at the Director.

“You’re in a goldfish bowl P-One and you’re going to be in there until you rot.” Fury said as he turned and walked away, heading towards the exit. “You’re powerless now.”

“Oh you haven’t seen real power yet Director Fury.” Loki called as he lay down on the hard bench in his sparse confines. “But when it arrives I assure you, you shall find out.”

Nick Fury left the caged god where he was, out of the damned way, and tried to ignore the unease churning in his gut. Maybe he would get Barton and Romanov to check the security of the base...

********

 “What’s taking Reindeer Games so long to make contact?” Tony exclaimed as he paced around his private lab underneath his Malibu home – he’d have preferred to be in New York right now but Bruce had pointed out that being too close to S.H.I.E.L.D HQ when he was a wanted Priority One wasn’t the best thing to do. “It’s not like they can knock out his magic!”

“We don’t know what S.H.I.E.L.D has in place to combat magic Tony, the best we can do is wait.” Bruce said calmly as he typed away at one of the many screens in Tony’s lab. “They apprehended Loki on time; Clint and Natasha have already set things in motion. He’ll contact us when he’s ready Tony, you know that.”

“God damned drama queen!” Tony muttered, tossing a screwdriver in Dummy’s direction. “It’s not like it would kill him to send us something to let us know he was alright!”

“On the contrary Stark, it may well have proved fatal had I not swept the S.H.I.E.L.D base for counter-spells first.” Loki’s smooth voice rang out over the speakers as a small hologram of him appeared on the desk by Bruce’s elbow.

Before Tony could respond to Loki’s comment Bruce asked. “Have you been able to locate everyone?”

Loki’s genuine smile at Bruce was answer enough but the verbal confirmation released a well of tension in the two mortals. “Indeed. I have even located several individuals who may be useful to our cause.”

“Not P-One’s?” Tony blurted out, curious as to what would have caught Loki’s attention if they weren’t ‘superheroes’.

Loki shook his head. “No. They are civilians who seem to have quite the abundance of knowledge of certain things which will most certainly be of use to us.”

“Why don’t you just, you know.” Tony made a vague wiggle gesture with his hands. “Download their memories or whatever it is you do?”

Loki scowled at the Man of Iron as Bruce rolled his eyes. “Because, Stark, I cannot actually access the thoughts of mortals as easily as you presume. It takes time and effort, neither of which I can spare at this present moment. Now, if you’re finished asking mundane questions Stark, then we can implement step 2.”

Bruce and Tony – though he wanted to continue querying the god – immediately snapped to attention and began their in-depth dismantling of S.H.I.E.L.D’s internal system. They systematically broke through every layer of digital security as Loki worked diligently to dismantle each magical layer that interfered with their mission.

“Clint and Natasha have just been ordered to check security. They’re reporting back that the system’s secure.” Bruce’s voice echoed in the lab and Loki’s hologram enable to god to hear this piece of news.

“Unlocking your cell door now Reindeer Games.” Tony added as Loki stood in his cell, stretched gracefully and stepped through the now unlocked door of his temporary confines.

“My thanks Stark.” Loki said quietly as he moved out into the corridor and met with the view of Black Widow – AKA Natasha Romanov– taking down several S.H.I.E.L.D agents with a grace and ferocity few possessed. She could rival Sif with her tenacity, Loki mused as he made his way to her side. “Implement step 3 now Stark. Contact the soldier.”

********

Captain Steve Rogers, once known as Captain America - the patriotic symbol of American opposition to the Nazi regime - sat the edge of his bed and stared at the white-washed, emotionless wall opposite him. He'd been awake for six months and had been put through so many tests and experiments by the scientists that he was curious as to what they might have found. Every few weeks they'd discover something significant about the formula he'd been given all those years ago and they'd scurry off to do their science before they'd return for more samples, more tests, more... just more.

Steve was a good man. He'd been raised right; always help a lady cross the street, never cuss in front of a woman, go to church on a Sunday in the best clothes you own, help old people with their shopping, and obey law. He'd joined the war effort because he knew that evil triumphed when good men did nothing and he hadn't wanted evil to triumph.

Now though... now he secretly wonders if he wasn't better off with his old, frail body and the myriad of illnesses he had. At least he'd have been with those he loved, at least he'd have died when he was supposed to instead of surviving an impossible crash into the Arctic and then this... this life as a guinea-pig.

They didn't even allow him to sketch, or exercise outside of the prescribed hours they'd allotted to him, and the food was designed to give him the necessary nutritional value required for him to function at his base level - they didn't want him to be at full strength. And from what he'd heard when the guards talked outside his door - honestly, he had been turned into a supersoldier, he had better than average hearing - they did the same with most of the other "priority one" individuals in the base.

Steve honestly didn't believe his own government could treat people like that, purposefully deny them the amount of nutrition required to function optimally. That was... it was... it was like something the Nazi's would do. Did do. He'd grown up believing in the power of his country, in how much of a moral guide America was for the rest of the world - especially compared to Hitler and Stalin and Lenin - and now it seemed that his own government had become that which he'd fought against.

It made him feel sick.

This wasn't democracy. This wasn't the land of the free. This was just another police state, where those who are different are victimised, denied basic rights. The basic rights he and many good, good men died for.

Did their sacrifice mean nothing?

"Hey Capsicle. Over here!"

Steve started slightly as the low crackle that emanated from the radio on the cabinet behind him. He turned to look at it and didn't even both to hide his surprise - if someone was talking to him through the radio then they camera's had to have been taken care of; they had sound.

"Yes, my voice is coming from the radio. No, I don't have time to explain. The door in front of you should open in three..."

Steve glanced at the heavy-duty, reinforced steel door to his room, suspicious of the voice - what if they were testing him?

"Two"

He blinked furiously as he looked back to the radio. He didn't feel like it was a trap, his gut didn't churn and his gut had always been a good indicator of situations.

"One."

He froze, staring at the door as the loud sound of its lock disengaging echoed in the quiet room.

"Well, what are you waiting for soldier?" The voice snarked over the radio and Steve suppressed the urge to tell it to shut up.

He rose to his feet and moved cautiously across the room, pushed open the door gingerly and peaked out into the hall. There was no-one in sight - not even the guards that normally patrolled the hall. Deciding to take a chance Steve stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind him - no sense in tipping anyone off if they passed his room and saw the door wide open.

The quiet sound of footfalls alerted him to someone coming from his left and he turned to look as a red-headed woman in a skin-tight outfit stalked around the corner looking for all her worth like she was about to eat him alive. _'Predator'_ Steve thought as the woman walked up to him.

"Captain. I'm Agent Romanov." The woman, Romanov, said as she stared up at him. "Follow me."

"Why?" Steve asked as she started to turn away. She stopped and looked at him over her shoulder. "Why are you doing this?"

She was silent for a moment, her eyes unreadable, before she looked away and said quietly. "You're not the only one S.H.I.E.L.D has held against their will."


	2. Chapter 2

Loki smirked as he listened to the sound of the guards groaning on the ground before him - Natasha had warned him that he wasn't to kill any of them, even if they tried to kill him. It was an absurd order if Loki was honest, banning a Prince of Asgard from slaying those who sought to do him harm, but he respected the Black Widow and so abstained from the urge to end the little worms. However, if another thought they could shoot him from behind again he might not be able to resist.

Contrary to all the stories and myths about him, Loki despised cowards, those who hid behind others and took no responsibility for their own actions, who did not act with fealty and honour. Whilst many of the Aesir may accuse him of being devious and honourless even they knew he did not break a promise.

_"Save me brother"_

No. Loki Odinson may be many things but an oath-breaker he was not.

Moving swiftly through the half-a-dozen prone guards Loki sought the manual override for the containment cells - something Tony and Bruce couldn't access even with Natasha's assistance in getting into the mainframe. Studying the controls for a moment Loki moved to deactivate the various containment methods for the Priority One subjects located in the containment area he stood outside of.

"Tony. I have begun manual override of containment." Loki murmured as he typed away at the controls, absently kicking a groaning guard out of his way. "Be ready for my signal."

"On it Reindeer Games." Tony's voice echoed in the small earpiece Natasha had passed to him before they'd parted ways. "Robin Hood is heading your way."

"I'll be sure to greet him with a blade then." Loki said dryly as he cast out his magic and located 'Robin Hood' in the ventilation above him. "Do tell him to exit the ventilation system, I do not enjoy the prospect of being shot in the back with an arrow."

"I can hear you ass." Clint bit out as he slid out of the ventilation system and began making his way down to terra firma. "And I wouldn't waste the arrow." He added as he moved to stand next to the taller man.

"How considerate of you." Loki quipped as he finished shutting down the containment. "Containment is off. Stark. If you will."

"On it Reindeer Games." Tony said cheerily as he sent out a base-wide virus on the system, scrambled communications and shut-down access to the areas they were to use for their escape. "Done and dusted. Wow, S.H.I.E.L.D really need to improve their system."

"Shut it Stark." Clint muttered as he followed the now quickly moving Norse God into the containment area. "Tall, dark and crazy is off running."

"Follow him then Bird-boy." Tony quipped. "Don't want to lose your escape route after all."

Before Clint could say anything in response the sound of squealing metal under great stress pierced the air. Suddenly a huge metallic panel easily weighing a tonne or two flew past Clint.

"Holy shit." He breathed as he edged carefully towards the origins of the flying panel. Peeking into a room now minus a door Clint was surprised to see the psycho-God kneeling beside some heavy-set guy with blonde hair and blood around his temple.

"Thor. Thor." Loki breathed out, cradling Thor's head with his hands as he stared fearfully at the lax face. "Thor. Wake up Thor. Thor!"

Clint watched as the Norse God pressed his palm flat against what looked to be a three or four inch cut on Thor's temple and start mumbling in some language Clint had never heard of. A faint green mist congregated around Loki's hand before dissipating and Clint was left standing awkwardly in the doorway as Loki leant close to Thor's face.

"Please brother. Wake up." Loki whispered.

********

What's happening out there?" Tony demanded as static burst through the speakers of the lab. Bruce was typing frantically at another terminal as Tony surfed through each and every piece of CCTV from the S.H.I.E.L.D HQ - heck he was even hacking the personal phones of each agent and checking them for anything that could tell them what the hell was happening!

"T- To...Tony! To.... ca.....he....me?" Clint's voice faded in and out through the static and Tony abandoned searching the video to focus on the audio - Bruce couldn't do it, he was looking a little green around the edges. "TONY!"

"I can't hear you Bird-Boy!" Tony exclaimed as he directed JARVIS to increase the power to the signal.

"Tony, god-damn...you...I'm....shoot you... ass... _you fucking asshole_!"

"I don't know what you were threatening me with Tweety-pie but I definitely heard that last part." Tony quipped as his heartbeat began to return to its usual elevated rate.

Bruce glanced over at the hyped-up billionaire, one eyebrow arched sceptically because, unlike Clint, he could see exactly how worried Tony was. Though it was rarely expressed, Bruce knew Tony had a big heart that felt a lot. Of course, he was abrasive and narcissistic, he'd had to provide his own love for years because he thought his own father didn't love him - yeah, Bruce could read between the lines and see the 'daddy-issues' that Tony and Loki had obviously bonded over - but Tony was also kind and loving. He cared.

But Bruce realised that sometimes, a lot of the time actually, Tony hated that he had a heart.

He thought it made him weak, soft and ready for the taking by some cut-throat bastard. He'd heard about the Stain business when he'd been in Abkhazia avoiding Ross. He completely understood Tony's reluctance to show he had a heart - Pepper had paid the price for Tony's 'human weakness' already.

"Whatever Stark. Just get us a route out of here." Clint's voice rang through the speaker system in the lab and both Bruce and Tony paused and looked at each other.

Loki was the exit strategy.

What had happened?

"What about Reindeer Games, Birdo? I thought he was your ride outta there?" Tony quipped even as he began pulling up schematics of the area he knew Clint was in. "He flake out?"

"More like burned out." Clint muttered.

"What do you mean?" Bruce asked, his voice as soft as Tony's was abrasive.

"He found his brother."

Thor must have been in bad shape for their token God to have ignored the plan he'd come up with himself.

Bruce knew a little about Loki's origins. Who didn't? The guy was a myth, a legend, in the flesh. Son of a frost giant (who was King no less), blood brother to Odin (raised as his second son), God of Mischief (that was definitely true) and Fire (Bruce hadn't figured out that part yet) and overall, pain in the ass for the Big Guy (the urge to smash him into the ground on occasion was quite...intense).

But for all the Bruce knew about the myth Loki and the Loki they saw, he knew only one thing about the real Loki; he was loyal. Maybe not in the traditional sense of following orders like a good little soldier or knowing the difference between right and wrong and never mixing the two. No. He definitely wasn't loyal in that sense.

Loki was loyal in that he'd do everything in his power to keep a promise, any promise, because that was who he was inside. Loyal to a fault. He'd promised to help them rescue the others. He'd promised to help Natasha with the red in her ledger. He'd promise to help Bruce with the Big Guy. All so he could rescue his brother.

That's not the type of loyalty you can buy. It's not even the type of loyalty you can earn. It's the type of loyalty given when someone loves even at the expense of themselves. _Especially_ at the expense of themselves.

Bruce just hoped Thor was worth Loki burning out, or he might just end up face-to-face with the Other Guy.

********

What had happened to him?

Why did he not respond to his calls?

 _Who_ in this infernal place had done this?

 _Which_ mortal did he have to disembowel and feed to Fenrir first?

Loki's hands moved across his brother's torso, feather light, as he cast out his magic to learn what had befallen his brother. There was little he could learn in his panic and worry, but he _had_ _to_ _know_ , he had to _save_ _his_ _brother_.

He had promised their mother.

"Thor." Loki murmured softly, aware of how his unusual behaviour was unnerving Barton. "Brother. I beg of you, cease this and _wake_."

Thor's prone form, held in his arms and weighing upon his knees, remained unresponsive and his brother's eyes still closed as Loki blinked away tears he refused to let fall. This was not the fated end of the God of Thunder. The Thunderer was not to die by the hands of mortals, no being could slay him before Ragnorak began.

And Loki wasn't quite ready for that time to be now.

Still stood at the entrance to the cell, Barton watched wearily as Loki held onto Thor's form tightly, his eyes closed, brow creased in concentration as he muttered incantation after incantation. Static was building, the air electrified enough to make Clint's already spiked hair stand further against gravity. His skin tingled with the raw power he could feel around him, around the two God's on the ground before him.

It was now, in this very moment, suspended almost by the osmosis of the air and power, that Clint realised he had never seen Loki at full strength. Not even at half strength. Somehow, Clint doubted anyone on Earth, past or present, had ever seen the true extent of Loki's power - maybe even Asgard hadn't.

The energy continued to build, more and more until Loki felt as though he would fall apart if he called forth anymore power, and with an almost anti-climatic whispered word, he forced it into his brother's prone form, down into his very core, with all the love and loyalty, honour, fear and fealty that drove Loki to travel the realms to seek his brother behind it. He forced it to power through the foreign bodies within his brother, breaking them down swiftly and mercilessly, as he sought to repair the damage done by the midgardians of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Unbeknownst to Loki, for he was so intensely focused on his task, the room was bathed with a bright, near blinding yellow glow. It suffused everything with warmth but did not touch upon any living being.

Clint watched in silent fascination, ignoring whatever Tony was now muttering into his earpiece, as the God of Mischief, the source of that golden light, began to cry silent tears. Tears, Clint was certain Loki wasn't aware of. Tears, that shimmered and shone with an ethereal, otherworldly light that was cold and hard but elegant and strong.

What the _fuck_ was going on?

********

Steve and Natasha moved swiftly along the corridors, unhindered, as they stopped occasionally to release this or that prisoner. After the first dozen or so, Steve started to realise that each of the prisoners knew Natasha. He recognised the looks they gave her, surprise and distrust, loathing and fear. One or two even shot her looks of outright hatred.

When they saw him however their faces changed, full of admiration and joy. Most of them hurried away, to release others or to go and cause mayhem or whatever. None of them stayed for long, most likely because they feared it was a trick and didn't want to be waste any chance to escape.

Steve still harboured thoughts of it being an elaborate trick, a trap designed to lure him into forming a bond with Natasha. He didn't buy it. He accepted her help, and helped her releasing others because he was a good man and couldn't see others imprisoned because of something they couldn't control. But that didn't mean he was going to give her his trust.

He had been in a war you know.

Natasha, for her part, looked completely calm and collected. She didn't even flinch when a hand appeared through one of the bar-windows of the cells they were passing and reached for her throat. If anything, the owner of the hand inside flinched - and screamed - when she grabbed it and twisted it so quickly Steve nearly missed seeing her move.  He didn't exactly approve of breaking someone's wrist but self-defence was self-defence.

"What are we looking for?" Steve asked softly, his voice barely above a whisper but he knew Natasha could hear it. It was strange that someone else could hear him when he talked so quietly, since it was an ability the serum had provided him, but he didn't ponder how Natasha could hear him when he was spoke nearly inaudibly. It wasn't relevant to the mission at hand.

"We're not looking for anything." Natasha replied, equally as quiet, as she deftly moved along the corridors, taking lefts and rights at seemingly random points. "I know exactly where we're going."

Doubt started to trickle into Steve's mind, a murmuring voice that grew steadily louder and louder as he thought over those last words of hers. "And where exactly _are_ we're going?" He asked, again his voice quiet, though his standard issue paper-shoes seemed to rustle loudly as they made their way along the halls.

"To the dry dock." Natasha replied promptly as she turned sharply down a narrower corridor and stopped before a port-side hatch. She swung it open revealing a service ladder and looked expectedly at Steve.

He blinked suddenly, surprised at the turn of events - here he thought they were going to wander around, aimlessly freeing prisoners until someone came and put him back in his room. "What are we going to do, sail through the sky? Even I noticed we're not in the water."

Natasha's lip quirked slightly, the only tell that Steve could see that told him she was amused - of course, he'd never have seen it unless she wanted him to. "Not quite." She replied before disappearing down the service ladder leaving Steve to follow or get left behind.

He sighed and looked heavenwards, praying for strength as he swung into the service hatch and began the descent to the dry dock where, as far as Steve could tell, freedom waited.

 


	3. Not an actual chapter sorry!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This isn't a chapter. Sorry guys!

Okay, so I know you have been waiting literally since forever for me to update and believe me when I say I'm planning on doing so, but I've had a bit of a brainwave with this fic and it's decided to expand itself and branch off into other MARVEL 'verses. So I'm going to be rehashing the actual story itself quite a bit until I have a working plot and some sort of chapter plans. As a result guys, that means I won't be updating this for a good month, maybe two, even though I have the next chapter plan set (I need to have the following chapters sorted out first or I'll just fizzle out and you'll be left for another year or whatever of cliffhangers).

So...

I AM SO SORRY BUT YOU WILL HAVE TO WAIT A WHILE FOR ME TO UPDATE AND WHEN I DO IT'LL PROBABLY END UP INCLUDING SPIDEY, DEADPOOL, BUCKY, PROFESSOR X, MAGNETO, HECK EVERYONE AND ANYONE I CAN THINK OF (oh and AOS will probably be pulled into this so beware the tags being changed in the coming months)


End file.
